Pipe tapping and plugging device.



D. A. MARKLEY.

PIPE TAPPING AND PLUGGING DEVICE.

APPLICATION IILED FEB. 16, 1910.

1,007,882, Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

D. A. MARKLEY.

PIPE TAPPING AND PLUGGING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION I ILED FEB. 16, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID A. MARKLEY, 0F TRIPP, SOUTH DAKOTA.

PIPE TAPPING- AND PLUGGING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID A. MARKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tripp, in the county of Hutchinson, State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pipe Tapping and Plugging Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a fluid main tapping and plugging device, and more particularly to the class of devices for tapping and inserting plugs in water mains under pressure.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a water main tapping device comprising a tapping tool and a valve for preventing the waste of fluid passing the casing of the tapping tool with means for quickly removing the tapping tool from the device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be readily and quickly mounted upon a water service pipe while under pressure so that it may be tapped without the loss of a great amount of water and also that will enable the plugging of the tapped main without the removal of the device therefrom.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device which is simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficientin operation and inexpensive in the manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described in detail, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose the preferred form of embodiment of the invention, to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention and as pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 is a fragmen tary side elevation of a water main with the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the main and the device connected thereto. Fig. 1 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of the yoke frame. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the plug detached from the device.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 16, 1910.

Patented Nov. 7, 1911. Serial No. 544,224.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicatecorresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 8 designates a fluid supply pipe for fluid under full pressure, the pipe being merely shown for illustrating the manner of use and the operation of the device to enable those skilled in the art to comprehend the construction of the invention and to carry the same into practice, which device will be hereinafter more fully described.

The device comprises a casing or hollow cylindrical shell formed of tube sections 9 and 10, the adjacent ends of which are joined to a gate valve body 11, by having the said ends of the sections threaded into opposite ends of the body 11, the latter being provided with the usual disk gate valve 12, adapted for sliding movement transversely of the casing or shell for opening and closing its bore centrally thereof. This disk valve 12, is operated by a turning stem 13, working through a packing gland 14:, carried by the valve body 11, the stem 13, being provided with the usual hand wheel 15, to permit turning thereof.

The shell or casing is provided at its lower end with a saddle plate 16, formed integral with the lower tubular section 9, the saddle plate 16, being formed with a central concaved recess or cavity 17, in its outer face correspondingly shaped to a portion of the exterior surface of the main 8, to snuglyreceive a portion of the main when the saddle plate 16, is resting on the outer face of the latter. Passed through suitable openings provided in opposite ends of the saddle plate 16, are the threaded extremities 18, of a substantially U-shaped clamping member 19, the same being disposed around the main 8, and engaged with the threaded ends 18, of this clamping member 19, are adjust ing nuts 20, which latter serve to tighten the clamping member 19, upon the main 8, for securely mounting the casing or shell of the device thereon.

The upper end of the casing or shell is closed by a removable cap 21, the same being threaded on the upper tubular section 10, and provided with a central opening through which is passed a screw spindle 22, the lower end being provided with a suitable tool receiving socket for the detachable connection of eithera tapping tool 23, or a screw threaded plug 24, therewith. The upper end of this screw spindle 20, is adjustably mount-- ed in an inverted U-shaped yoke frame 25, the leg portions thereof being formed with eye terminals 26, hinged to similar eye ter minals 27, integral with and projecting outwardly at diametrically opposite points of a collar 28 secured to the casing or shell near its upper end. The upper cross connecting bar of this yoke frame 25, is provided with a centrally located half bearing 29, adapted to register with a similar half bearing 30, formed on a pivoted latch 31, carried by the yoke frame, these registering bearings being adapted to encircle the screw spindle 22, to hold the same braced when in vertical position for actuating the tapping tool 23, or for inserting the screw plug 34L, in the opening in,

the main 8, formed by' the tapping tool. The latch is provided with a recess 31 which receives a pin 31 and has an angular arm 31 extending outwardly thereof. This screw spindle 22, has adjustably threaded thereon at its upper end an adjusting or look nut 32, the latter being adapted to engage against the under faces of the bearings 29 and 30, formed in the cross connecting portion of the yoke frame and latch, respectively, said nut serving to limit the upward movement of the stem and also serving to indicate the distance of downward feed when the spindle is rotated in the act of tapping or plugging the main.

Suitably fixed to the outer free end of the screw spindle 22, is a cross handle bar 33, which provides for the turning of the screw spindle for the working of the tool 23, in tapping the main 8, or the insertion of the plug 24:, in the opening in the main, previously formed by the tapping tool of the device.

In operation, presuming that the spindle 22, of the device has been fitted with a tapping tool 23, and that the said device has been clamped in position on a main to be tapped, an operator engages the cross handle bar 33, so as to rotate the screw spindle 22, at the same time exerting downward pressure thereon, whereby upon the turning thereof the tapping tool 23, will penetrate or cut an opening in the main 8, and at the same time form a thread in the wall of the opening thus formed to enable the insertion the yoke frame 25, from the spindle 22, so

that the yoke frame may be swung outwardly and downwardly to permit the removal of the screw spindle 22, from the shell or casing on detaching the cap 21, therefrom. I Vhen the screw spindle 22, has been removed from the shell or casing in this manner, an operator detaches the tapping tool 23, from the said spindle 22, and in lieu thereof attaches the screw plug 34, whereupon the spindle 22, is replaced in the shell or casing and again braced by the yoke frame 25, being connected thereto, which spindle 22, is worked downwardly within the caslng on the opening of the gate valve therein which will result in the insertion of the screw plug 24, in the opening formed in the water maln. It is obvious that in the successive operations of the device there is a loss of a small amount of water from the main.

What is claimed is 1 In a water main tapping device, a clamp adapted to engage a main, a tubular member connected to the clamp, a valve operated in the tubular member, a screw threaded stein operable in the tubular member independently of the valve, securing eyes mounted on the tubular member, an inverted U-shaped yoke pivoted at its lower ends to the eyes and formed with a half bearing in its central portion for the stem, a nut on the stem, a latch forming a half bearing for the stem pivoted to said central portion of said yoke, said latch having a recess and an outwardly extending angular arm, and a pin secured on said central portion engaging the DAVID A. MARKLEY.

Witnesses I THEO. A. SCIILIESSMANN, DOUGLAS AYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

